Staff Picks: Those Wonderful Women in Their Flying Machines

Those Wonderful Women in Their Flying Machines: Unknown Heroines of World War II
by Sally VanWagenen Keil
1979
  
As you read Those Wonderful Women in Their Flying Machines: Unknown Heroines of World War II by Sally VanWagenen Keil, you are transported to a time when the necessity of getting soldiers trained to face airplanes, of getting planes to the front lines, and having enough supplies and talent to keep the war effort moving forced this country to use a previously untapped resource: women. Not only did they go to work in factories to perform jobs traditionally held by men, women also began serving as part of the military.

The Women's Airforce Service Pilots (WASPs) performed duties here at home which allowed men to serve in combat missions; this also enabled recruits to practice shooting down planes and also made ferrying desperately needed planes and materials to Great Britain much easier. 

Over 70 women were killed or injured on these missions. They contended with poor, inadequate equipment, planes in disrepair, and longstanding prejudices against women.

In the preface, the author states, "The WASP story today is one of success, of courage, of humor and also of scandal. While the WASPs viewed the difficulties imposed on them by the war-era climate as inconveniences to be expected, we identify countless instances of prejudice and discrimination. For them, the hazards and incomprehension were peripheral to their vision of doing something special, something beyond—to fly."

Instead of focusing on the instances of prejudice and discrimination, perhaps we should emulate the WASPs and keep our vision of doing something special at the forefront of our minds. If we do, perhaps we all could fly.

Pam Coyle
Director
Martinsburg-Berkeley County Public Libraries

CALL NUMBER: 940.5449 K